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Camp Pendleton's HEIST for Wildfire Readiness and Interagency Cooperation
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – As California continues to face an increasing risk of wildfires, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has taken proactive measures to reestablish and improve wildfire mitigation and response capabilities through its Heavy Equipment Interagency Safety Training (HEIST) program that began in late March and early April of this year. The program, with its annual initiative beginning in 2016, has grown into an interagency collaboration between military and civilian firefighting units. This collaboration provides hands-on training while reinforcing wildfire defenses for the base and surrounding communities, with a strong focus on community safety.
Every year, MCB Camp Pendleton experiences approximately 200 wildfire ignitions that consume an average of 15,000 acres due to live-fire training exercises. To combat this risk, the base maintains over 165 miles of strategically placed fire breaks to prevent fires from spreading beyond the installation. The responsibility for clearing and maintaining these fire breaks falls on the Facilities Maintenance Department Heavy Equipment (FMDHE), which begins annual operations in May and works through August.
Nine years ago, FMDHE initiated the HEIST program, which, based on its pre-existing firebreak maintenance backlog, inherently meets the training needs of the rest of the state's heavy equipment operators who specialize in "pushing dirt." So, they leveraged the firebreaks' rugged terrain against constraining environmental state laws affecting the operator's training regimen to provide a premier training ground for firefighters and heavy equipment operators while simultaneously improving the base's fire prevention infrastructure.
"The partnerships we build through programs like HEIST are essential," said Brig. Gen. Nick I. Brown, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. "By working together, we not only strengthen our own capabilities but also reinforce the safety and security of our neighbors."
Each year, HEIST operates in a two-week cycle, with training conducted as if responding to an actual wildfire incident with night drills to simulate real-world fire conditions and requires operators to construct fire lines using only their equipment lights.
"This isn't just about clearing fire breaks. It's about making sure our personnel are ready for the real thing," said Chris Hubmer, Camp Pendleton fire chief. "When a wildfire strikes, these operators need to know how to respond swiftly and effectively."
The program has continued to grow over the past nine years and has testified to its success through the increasing need for such initiatives. Furthermore, the program's expanding reach and impact has historically stretched from not only California-based fire agencies but Northern Nevada units as well. It has drawn between 60 to 80 personnel and up to 30 pieces of heavy equipment per session. Meanwhile, this year's session included Los Angeles City Fire, Sacramento Metro Fire, San Bernardino County Fire, and Kings County Fire.
"The ability to train here, in a controlled but realistic environment, prepares our firefighters for the complex wildfire scenarios they'll face in the field," Brown said. "This is a prime example of how military installations can contribute to national preparedness."
As the region anticipates the growing wildfire threat, MCB Camp Pendleton's HEIST program beacons as a model for interagency cooperation and proactive fire prevention. This not only ensures fortified high-risk areas ahead of fire season but also fosters relationships between military and civilian first response teams, ultimately strengthening regional wildfire readiness and benefitting both MCB Camp Pendleton and the broader community.
"Wildfire mitigation isn't just a base priority. It's a regional one," said Brown. "By working together, we ensure that both our installations and our communities are better protected."
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2025 17:31 |
| Story ID: | 494874 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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